Board

Ken Sutherland

Board chair

Unison chief executive Ken Sutherland is our board chair – a position he has held for 6 years. Based in Hastings, Ken has extensive experience and leadership within New Zealand’s utility, infrastructure and electricity sectors. He is a member of the Electricity Sector’s Chief Executive Group; Business New Zealand’s Major Companies Group CEO Forum; the Energy Networks Association CEO Forum in Australia; the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants and the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

Nigel Barbour

Vice chair

Powerco chief executive Nigel Barbour joined our board in 2010. Based in New Plymouth, Nigel has more than a decade’s experience in executive management roles. He was Powerco’s general manager for electricity before his appointment to chief executive in 2011.

Andre Botha

Board member

Vector’s chief networks officer Andre Botha is based in Auckland and brings a wealth of experience to the board. He has more than 25 years’ experience in the energy distribution and transmission industry in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Most recently, Andre was the chief operations officer at Western Power in Western Australia and Aurora Energy in Tasmania. He joined our board in 2015.

Andrew Tombs

Board member

Andrew has been chief executive of Alpine Energy since 2009. Previously he has worked for Downer, Unison Networks and Transpower. He has been vice president of the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce for six years.

Neil Simmonds

Board member

Neil has been chief executive of Electra, which operate the electricity distribution network in the Kapiti-Horowhenua region, since 2014. Previously he was chief executive of Counties Power for 13 years. Previously he had worked with WEL Energy and ECNZ. Neil is a qualified engineer and a fellow of IPENZ.

Jason Franklin

Board member

Jason is chief executive of PowerNet, the distribution network delivering power to Invercargill City, Southland, West Otago, parts of Central Otago and Stewart Island. Previously he has worked for Rio Tinto (both internationally and at the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter) and ECNZ. He has been on the executive committee of the Major Electricity Users Group and the Wholesale Advisory Group for the Electricity Authority.